Catholic prayer cards, also called holy cards, are small printed cards with a sacred image on one side and a prayer on the other, given out at funerals, First Communions, ordinations and shrines, and tucked into missals, wallets and Bibles for daily prayer. For more than five hundred years they have helped Catholics keep a saint, a prayer or a loved one close at hand. Below are the history of holy cards, the kinds of prayer cards and when they are given, the prayers most often printed on them (with full texts you can use), what to write on a funeral or memorial card, and how to treat a holy card respectfully.
What is a Catholic prayer card?
A prayer card is usually about the size of a playing card. The front shows an image of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, a saint or a scene from the Gospel; the back carries a prayer, a Scripture verse, or the name and dates of a person being remembered. Many older cards also note an indulgence the Church attached to the prayer, or the imprimatur of a bishop showing that the text is free of doctrinal error.
A holy card is not a sacrament or a magic charm. It is a reminder to pray. When a priest blesses it, a holy card becomes a sacramental, a sacred sign that prepares us to receive God’s grace and helps us to pray. See Catholic blessings.
A short history of holy cards
- 1400s. The first holy cards were hand-colored woodcut prints sold to pilgrims in Germany and the Low Countries, soon after printing made images cheap.
- 1600s. Engravers in Antwerp and Paris produced fine copperplate holy cards in great numbers, often given out at missions and shrines.
- 1800s. French “lace” cards, cut by hand or machine into delicate paper lace, and then colorful chromolithographs made holy cards affordable for every family. Memorial cards for the dead became common in Ireland, Belgium and other Catholic countries.
- 1900s to today. Holy cards became part of almost every Catholic milestone: First Communion, Confirmation, ordination, profession of vows, and funerals. Today they are printed in full color, and many people collect them.
Kinds of prayer cards and when they are given
| Kind of card | When it is given | What is usually printed |
|---|---|---|
| Funeral or memorial card | At a wake or funeral | A holy image, the person’s name and dates, a prayer for the dead |
| First Communion card | As a keepsake for the child and guests | The child’s name, date, parish and a Eucharistic prayer |
| Ordination or vows card | At a priest’s first Mass or a sister’s profession | A favorite Scripture verse and the date |
| Saint card | At shrines, feast days, or as a gift | The saint’s image and a prayer to that saint |
| Mass card | When a Mass is offered for someone | The name of the person and the Mass intention |
A Mass card is different from a prayer card: it is a card telling a family that a Mass will be offered for their loved one. See Mass intentions and Gregorian Masses.
Prayers most often printed on holy cards
These traditional prayers are in the public domain, so they may be printed freely on cards for a parish, a funeral or a personal gift.
The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help, and sought thy intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To thee I come; before thee I stand sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
Holy Michael, Archangel, defend us in the day of battle;
be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do thou, prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God, thrust down to hell Satan
and all wicked spirits, who roam through the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy! Hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.
And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Other prayers often printed on cards: the prayer to St. Jude, the Prayer of St. Francis, the Guardian Angel prayer, the Divine Mercy prayer “Jesus, I trust in you,” the Litany of Trust and the Eternal Rest prayer.
What to put on a funeral prayer card
A Catholic funeral or memorial card usually includes:
- A holy image on the front, such as the Sacred Heart, the Good Shepherd, Our Lady or the patron saint of the deceased.
- The full name of the person, often with “In loving memory of.”
- The dates of birth and death, and sometimes the place of the funeral Mass.
- A prayer for the dead, such as the Eternal Rest prayer, or a favorite prayer of the person.
- Optionally, a short Scripture verse, such as “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
See our Catholic funeral prayers for prayers that fit a memorial card, and the prayers for deceased loved ones.
How to use and care for holy cards
- Pray with them. Keep one in your missal, Bible, car or wallet, and pray the prayer when you see it.
- Pray for the dead. Funeral cards remind us to pray for the person every time we find the card.
- Give them. A holy card with a handwritten note is a simple gift for a sick friend, a godchild or a new Catholic.
- Dispose of them reverently. A blessed holy card that is worn out should not be thrown in the trash; the custom is to burn it or bury it.
Frequently asked questions
What is a holy card?
A small card with a religious image on the front and a prayer on the back, used as a reminder to pray.
Are holy cards blessed?
Not automatically. Any priest can bless a holy card, which then becomes a sacramental.
What do you do with old prayer cards?
Keep them in a box or album, give them to someone who will use them, or, if they are blessed and worn out, burn or bury them reverently.
Can I print my own Catholic prayer cards?
Yes. Traditional prayers like the Memorare, the Hail Holy Queen and the St. Michael prayer are in the public domain. Modern translations and some images are copyrighted, so check before printing them.
More prayers
- Catholic funeral prayers
- Memorare
- St. Michael prayer
- St. Jude prayer
- Mass intentions
- Catholic blessings
Texts and sources
- Memorare: The Little Book of the Most Holy Child Jesus (1876), public domain.
- Prayer to St. Michael: F. X. Lasance, With God (1911), public domain.
- Hail, Holy Queen: F. X. Lasance, With God (1911), public domain.